Syrup-measuring device for bottle-fillers



H. ALEXANDER.

SYRUP MEASURING DEVICE FOR BOTTLE FILLERS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1921.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

f Q W ATTORNEY,

IN I/ EIV TOR @i iiTEQ SE'ATES earner nearer...

HARRY ALEXANDER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEW YORK BOTTLERS SUPPLIES MANUFACTURING 00., OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SYRUP-MEASURING DEVICE FOR BOTTLE-FILLERS.

Application filed February 17, 1921.

To all 2071 am it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIARRY ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Syrup- Measuring Devices for Bottle-Fillers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyin drawings, which form a part thereof.

lvly invention relates to syrup measuring devices for bottle fillers, and more particularly to a device of this type adapted for use with manually operative filling machines in which a measured quantity of syrup is flowed into a bottle which thereafter is filled with carbonated water which forms a solution with the syrup.

Heretofore in devices of this type, it has been the custom to use a two-way conical plug valve structure which may be actuated to alternately place the measuring cup in communication with a source of syrup supply and with the discharge nozzle for delivering a measured quantity of said syrup to a bottle.

With the filling device of the structure above described, the valve plug must be nicely seated and yet have sufficient freedom of movement to permit ease of operation in the valve. There is also a constant tendency of the syrup to corrode the surface of the plug and of its seat so as to permit leakage of syrup about the valve, both when the device is, and is not, in use, such leakage not only resulting in wastage of the syrup and interference with the free actuation of the filling mechanism, but necessitates frequent repairs which are difficult and costly.

lVith these conditions in mind, I have devised a filling device which requires no great nicety in the fitting of parts to insure a continued accurate functioning of the device without likelihood of the development of conditions which will result in such wear as will permit leakage of the syrup from the filling cup, or from the source of supply, through the valve.

A filling device embodying my invention Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Serial No. 445,626.

may be produced without any precise machine work thereon, and may be quickly disassembled and repaired by substituting new parts, in the filling establishment, without the aid of machinery, thus avoiding that curtailment of the capacity of the filling plant due to the necessity for removing the valve mechanism of a filling machine and its removal to a machine shop to effect repairs thereon.

' The mechanism may be readily adjusted to regulate the energy required to actuate the valve mechanism of the syrup measuring device, and will automatically take up wear of the cooperating bearing surfaces of the valve block and its seat, or may be readjusted to compensate for excessive wear after long continued use.

The invention consists primarily in a syrup measuring device for bottle fillers embodying therein a valve casing having a vertical, axial opening extending therethrough, and a filling and a discharge lead therein having thesame degree of eccentriclty with relation to said opening and opening upwardly of said casing, said fillmg lead communicating with a source of" syrup supply and'said discharge lead communicating with said axial opening in said casing, a horizontal disk valve carried by said casing and having ports therein registering with said leads respectively, a valve structure comprising a circular valve block seating upon said disk seat, and a plug rotatably mounted in said axial opening, a measuring cup surmounting said block, said block having a passage therethrough communicating with said cup at one end thereof, and opening toward said disk at the other end thereof, and said plug having an opening therein one end of which is adapted to register with said discharge lead and the other end of which is adapted to communicate with the discharge nozzle, means seating said block upon said valve-seat, and

means whereby said valve mechanism may be actuated to brinqsaid passage into register with either, or neither, of said leads, and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto ap ended.

eferring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view of a measuring device embodying my invention, with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3, a portion of the valve casing and valve mechanism being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the valve mechanism in the position to place the measuring cup in communication with the source of syrup supply, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line- 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the slide member ais the usual valve head for controlling the flow of the carbonated water to the bottle filling head and snifting the bottle. This mechanism being old and well known in the art, is not shown in detail, nor will it be de scribed, it being necessary to understand that the push stem a controls the filling valve,- while the push valve a controls the snift valve, of this mechanism.

Carried by, and movable with, the slide (a is a valve casing Z) having therein an axially extending opening Z), a filling lead Z2 and a discharge lead 7J3. The casing Z) is provided with a recessed head 0 having therein a disk valve seat (Z of leather, rubber or other similar material, (preferably the former) which extends horizontally. In said disk valve (Z are ports cZ'-aZ registering respectively with those ends of the leads 6 Z2 which open through the top of said valve casing. Said disk (Z is held against rotation in any desired manner, as by means of pins or studs (Z carried by the top of the casing. An annular confining flange cZ prevents undue expansion of said disk under pressure, and also serves as a guide for a co operating valve block, which will be hereinafter referred to.

Leading from adjacent the out-let of the discharge lead 5 and opening outwardly of said casing so as to communicate with at mosphere, is an air vent opening 6*.

' Mounted in'relation to the casing L, is a valve plug mechanism consisting of a circular valve block 6 seated upon the disk [Z and rotatably mounted upon the top of the casing 6 by means of a cylindrical plug 7 mounted in the axial opening 7) of said casing.

- Carried by and surmounting the block a, is a measuring cup g of the diaphragm type now commonly used in syrup filling devices, the block e being provided with a passage 6 communicating with said cup at one end thereof and opening toward the disk (Z at the other end thereof at a point where it may be brought into register with either of the leads Z) or Z2 or out of register with both of said leads. Said leads are arranged eccentrically of the axis of the opening b, said openings having the same degree of eccentricity so as to permit the adjacent end of the passage 6' to be brought into egister with each of them by a circular movement.

The cylindrical plug 7 has an opening 7" therein, one end of which is adapted to be brought into register with the discharge end of the lead Z)", said opening 7*" communicating with a discharge nozzle 7i screw-threaded upon the lower end of the plug 7 and forming a seat for the spring 71 which will have a normal tendency to seat the valve block 6 upon the seat (Z and'take up any lost motion resulting from wea of said seat. The nozzle k may he of any desired construction, being provided with a screw-threaded end ii to permit the attachment thereto of a bottle centering device or any form of nozzle rempiired instead of the st night nozzle afforded by the structure shown in the drawings. The screw-threaded connection between the plug 7 and the nozzle it permits the development of any desired tension upon thespring i so as to regulate the resistance to the turning of the block (2, and also permits readjustment of the seating of said block c in the event of excessive wear thereon.

Removably mounted upon the plug 7 is an operating handle said handle being positioned between the spring 27 and the lower end of the casing Z) which is recessed to re ceive a suitable gland packing j to prevent possible lcakage'about the plug f.

Carried by the block 0 is a cam is which projects therefrom so that it may be operatively engaged with the stem a or (f, to permit the control of the flow of the carbonated water and the snifting of a bottle being filled therewith, through the valve mechanism of the syrup filling device.

The operation of the herein described device is substantially as follows Assuming that the measuring cup 9 has been supplied with a charge of syrup, to a definite amount controlled by the movement of the diaphragm of said cup as limited by the capacity regulator, the operating handle 7', after the head a has been depressed to bring the nozzle it into the proper relation with the bottle to receive the syrup, is used to rotate the plug 7, the valve block 0 and the cu) until the )assa 'e e in said block is in register with one end of the lead 71 through the port (Z and the opening f is in register with the other end of said lead, whereupon the syrup contained in said cup will flow through the passage 6 into said laid b and from said lead into the opening 7" flowing by gravity througlrthe valve mechanism and the nozzle it into the bottle.

In its. passage through the lead 6 any tendency toward the development of pressure by reason of the head of syrup, will be relieved through the vent 6 which will also prevent the development of any such suction by the flowing syrup, as will tend to check a continued and rapid flow thereof from the measuring cupto the bottle. Since the quantity of syrup delivered to each bottie is small as compared with the capacity of the bottle, there is no tendency of the de velopment of a counter pressure sufficient to check the flow of the syrup.

Airenteringthrough the port I) will also serve to relieve any tendency of the development of subatmospheric pressure in the measuring cup, although the displacement of the diaphragm therein will be under atmospheric pressure, supplemented by the usual weight so as to minimize any retardation of the flow from this cause.

After the complete volume of syrup has been delivered, the handle 3' may be used to actuate the valves a and a in delivering carbonated water and syrup to another bottle which is in the operative relation to the water filling nozzle, the passage 6 being closed by the seat (Z to the right of the lead (3 3) at this time, thus closing the valve mechanism of the syrup filling device. When the bottle has been properly filled with the carbonated water,thehandle j will be actuated to the right (Fig. 1), thus moving the passage 6 out of register with the port (l and the opening f out of register with the other end of said lead, interrupting communication between the measuring cup and the nozzle h, but establishing communication between't-he lead If and the passage 0' so as to permit a fresh charge of syrup to flow from the sourceof supply, not shown,

through the lead b the port (Z and opening 6 to saidcup, p-reparaton to the delivery of this chargeto the succeeding bottle.

'By reason ofthe fact the opening 0 is in register with the lead 6 only when said lead is in register with the opening 7, no leakage can occur from the cup 9 to about the plug 7, and as a consequence this plug may have a loose sliding fit within the opening Z) without danger. of developing imperfections in said. cup due to corrosion thereof or of the wall of the opening 6 by the syrup be ing handled.

It will also be observed that the inflow of syrup through the lead Z2 is entirely independent of the plug f so that when the valve is closed, there is no possibility of leakage about said plug from this source.

The only possibility of escape of the syrup is by flowing between the seat (Z and the block -e for the distance between the ports disk seat with a yielding pressure which will afford freedom of movement of the block without loss of the desired tight joint between same and the seat (Z. This pressure may be regulated by varying the tension of the spring *4 by means of the screw-threaded connection between the discharge nozzle h and the plug to insure the desired tight seating of the valve or to regulate the ease with which the block may be actuated, as desired.

By providing a combined valve block'and valve plug mechanism, I secure an effective sealing of the cup excepting when this mech anism is set to permit the flow of syrup therefrom through the nozzle h, and by utilizing the plug solely for permitting the discharge of syrup, I avoid all possibility of the corrosion of this plug to an extent to require machine work thereon when effecting repairs to the valve mechanism. In fact in the event of wear, it is merely necessary to remove the nozzle h from the plug 7', withdraw said plug from the opening Z), and remove the disk valve seat d from the depression within the rim (5, and substitute a new disk therefor, the-pins (Z insuring the positioning of the disk with the ports (Z--(Z therein in .the proper relation. These pins will also serve to prevent rotation of the disk while the device is in operation.

I have found in actual practice that the only material wear in an appa 'atus embodying my invention, occurs upon this disk (Z. This wear results in part from an abrasion of the surface of the disk and in part by a saturation thereof with the syrup following such abrasion The assembling and reassembling of the device requires no machine work, and no tools except an ordinary wrench, so that repairs may be quickly effected without placing the filling machine out of work.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Ilavingdescribed the iiwention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is;-

'1. A syrup measuring device for bottle fillers embodying therein a valve casing having a vertical, axial opening extending therethrough. and a filling and a discharge lead therein having the same degree of eccentricity with relation to said opening and opening upwardly of said casing, said fil nglead communicating with a source of syrup supply and said discharge lead communicating with said axial opening in said casing, a horizontal disk seat carried by said casing and having. ports therein registering with said leads respectively, a valve structure' comprising a circular valve'block seating upon said disk seat, and a plug rotatably mounted in said axial opening, a measing cup surmounting said block, said block having a passage theret-hrough communicating with said cup at one end thereof, and opening toward said disk at the other end thereof, and said plug having an opening therein one end of which is adapted to register withsaid discharge lead and the other end of which is adapted to communicate with the discharge nozzle, means seating said block upon said valve seat, and means whereby said valve mechanism may be ac tuated to bring said passage into register with either, or neither, of said leads.

2. A syrup measuring device for bottle fillers embodying therein a valve casing having a vertical, axial opening extending therethrough, a filling and a discharge lead therein having the same degree of eccentricity with relation to said opening and opening upwardly of said casing, said filling lead communicating with a source of syrup supply and said discharge lead communicating with said axial opening in said casing, and a vent opening communicating with atmosphere and with said discharge lead adj acent said opening, a horizontal disk seat carried by said casing and having ports therein registering with said leads respectively, a valve structure comprising a circular valve block seating upon said disk seat, and a plug rotatably mounted in said axial opening, a measuring cup surmounting said block, said block having a passage therethrough communicating with said cup at one end thereof, and opening toward said disk at the other end thereof, and said plug having an opening therein one end of which is adapted to register with said discharge lead and the other end of which is adapted to communicate with the discharge nozzle, means seating said block upon said valve seat, and means whereby said valve mechanism may be actuated to bring said passage into register with either, or neither, of said leads.

3. A syrup measuring device for bottle fillers embodying therein a valve casing havinga vertical, axial opening extending therethrough, a filling and a discharge lead therein having the same degree of eccentricity with relation to said opening and opening upwardly of said casing, said filling lead communicating with a source of syrup sup ply and said discharge lead communicating with said axial opening in said casing, and a vent opening communicating with atmosphere and with said discharge lead adjacent said opening, a horizontal disk seat carried by said casing and having ports therein registering with said leads respectively, a valve structure comprising a circular valve block seating upon said disk seat, and a plug rotatably mounted in said axial opening, a measuring cup surmounting said block, said block having a passage therethrough communicating with said cup at one end thereof, and opening toward said disk at the other end thereof, and said plug having an opening therein one end of which is adapted to register with said discharge lead and the other end of which is adapted to communicate with the discharge nozzle, an enlarged discharge nozzle carried by the lower end of said plug, a spring acting against said nozzle to seat said plug upon said valve seat, and means whereby said valve mechanism may be actuated to bring said passage into register with either, or neither, of said leads.

4. A syrup measuring device for bottle fillers embodying therein a valve casing having a vertical, axial opening extending there through, a filling and a discharge lead therein having the same degree of eccentricity with relation to said opening and opening upwardly of said casing, said filling lead communicating with a source of syrup supply and said discharge lead communicating with said axial opening in said casing, and a vent opening communicating with atmosphere and with said discharge lead adjacent said openinw, a horizontal disk valve seat carried by said *asing and having ports therein registering with said leads respectively, a valve structure comprising a circular valve block seating upon said disk seat, and a plug rotatably mounted in said axial opening, a measuring cup surmounting said block, said block having a passage therethrough communicating with said cup at one end thereof, 'and opening toward said disk at the other end thereof, and said plug havin an opening therein one end of which is adapted to register with saiddischargelead and the other end of which is adapted to communicate with the discharge nozzle, an enlarged discharge nozzle adjustably mounted upon the lower end of said plug, a spring acting against said nozzle to seat said plug upon said valve seat, and means whereby said valve mechanism may be actuated to bring said passage'into register with either, or neither, of saidleads.

A syrup measuring device forbottle fillers embodying therein a measuring cup, and a valve mechanism controlling the flow of syrup to and from said cup embodying therein a casing having a cylindrical opening therethrough, ported leads therein opening through a horizontal, removable valve seat and communicating respectively with a source of supply and with the cylindrical opening in said casing, a valveblock mounted upon said seat and having a single opening therethrough adapted to register with either of said ported openings, a plug carried by androtatable with said block having llO a passage therein adapted to communicate my signature, in the presence of two subwith one only of the leads in said casing, and scribing witnesses, this 16th day of Februadapted to discharge the syrup in a bottle, ary, 1921.

means seating said block upon said Valve HARRY ALEXANDER. seat, and means whereby said plug and said Witnesses: block may be simultaneously rotated. F. T. WENTWORTH,

In Witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed FREDA KonHmm. 

